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Best stereo amplifiers 2015

1st May 2015

A stereo amplifier is the powerhouse of your hi-fi system, and whether you want a stripped-out minimalist design or one with all the bells and whistles, here's our current list of the best on the market.

It's the heart of your hi-fi system; the engine that drives your music from source to speakers, and amplifies the signal so it sounds loud and proud.

Hi-fi amplifiers were unchanged for decades, their analogue connections favouring music played on CD players and turntables.

But with laptops, smartphones and streaming services gaining ground as music sources, the stereo amp has had to evolve, with built-in DACs (digital-to-analogue converters), USB connections and wireless streaming capability now becoming increasingly important.

Don't become obsessed by power figures when buying an amplifier – more power doesn't necessarily mean better sound. A relatively low-powered amp can still sound sweet with the right speakers. And unless you intend to play your system at party levels all the time, it's important to pay just as much attention to attributes such as timing, dynamics, precision and control.